鴟梟科chī-xiāo kē

フクロウ科fukurō ka

올빼미과olppaemi-gwa

Baykuşgiller

General

This list is 'in beta'. Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Kazakh, Turkish, and Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green LetteringGreen lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

Unlike English, Mongolian has a very broad range of words referring to the owls. However, the precise referents can be hard to pin down, with probable regional variation. Mongolian names include the following:

1. The general word for 'owl' is Шар шувууshar shuvuu meaning 'yellow bird', possibly based on the yellow colour of owls' eyes. This typically referred to the Eagle Owl in the earlier taxonomy.

2. Owls with ears are known as Уульuul' (also Ууль шувууuul' shuvuu'owl bird'), in Russian Buryat written Уулиuuli.

3. The term Арианariaŋ appears to have originally meant owl in general, similar to Уульuul'.

4. Холслогkholslog is another name applied to eared owls.

5. The word Бэгбаатарbegbaatar is а commonly used name applied to certain types of owl, ranging from the Short-eared Owl to the Wood Owls to the Hawk Owls, but in particular the barred owls of the Strix genus. The meaning and etymology of бэгbeg are unclear, although it is conceivably related to the Old Turkic term beg meaning 'tribal leader'. Баатарbaatar means 'hero' and is a common component of men's names in Mongolia. A related Buryat term is Бэгсэргэbegserge. (Although no etymology has been advanced for this name, сэргэserge is conceivably related to сэрэг meaning 'soldier'.)

6. The Scops Owls are known as Орволгоorovlog.

7. Бүгээхэйbügeekhei is a name for very small species in general.

8. Гуйвангаguivaŋg or Гуйвангguivaŋg (also Гуйвангууguivaŋguu) is used for large and small eared owls (by one source described as small owls living in marshy areas).

9. Сүлигsülig is used for pygmy owls.

10. Явлигyavlig or Явлагyavlag (also Явлаг шувууyavlag shuvuu'yavlag bird') is another term for a smaller kind of owl, sometimes found in the combination Явлаг ууль yavlag uul' ('yavlag owl') and Яваг шар шувууyavag shar shuvuu'yavag yellow bird'. Mostaert's Dictionnaire Ordos says that this owl has a very 'heavy walk'. Besides owls, the name Явлагyavlag is also applied to some diurnal raptors, notably the Osprey, being found in names like Явлаг галууyavlag galuu ('yavlag goose'), Явлаг сарyavlag sar ('yavlag buzzard'), and Явлаг элээyavlag elee (literally 'yavlag kite'), all of which refer to the Osprey.

11. A less auspicious name for owls is Үхээр шувууükheer shuvuu'cadaver bird' or Үхээрийн шувууükheeriŋ shuvuu'cadaver bird' owing to a traditional association with death.

Ornithological naming

The ornithological usage of names for strigid genera is in a state of considerable confusion. The following table shows Inner Mongolian naming (older and more recent), older Mongolian ornithological naming, and "binomial" Mongolian naming (post-2007):

Genus

IM Old

IM

Mongolia Old

Mongolia New

Surnia (Hawk Owls)

-

Inner M:Уульuul'

Mongolia formerly:Уульuul'

Bэгбаатарbegbaatar

Glaucidium (Pygmy Owls)

IM also:Гуйвангаguivanga

Inner M:Бүгээхэйbügeekhei

Mongolia formerly:Бүгээхэйbügeekhei

Cүлигsüilg

Athene (Little Owl)

IM also:Уульuul'

Inner M:Бүгээхэйbügeekhei

Mongolia formerly:Бүгээхэйbügeekhei

Бүгээхэйbügeekhei

Aegolius (Boreal Owl)

-

Inner M:Уульuul'

Mongolia formerly:Уульuul'

Арианariaŋ

Otus (Scops Owls)

IM also:Орволгоorovlog

Inner M:Орволгоorovlog

Mongolia formerly:Орволгоorovlog

Орволгоorovlog

Asio (Long-eared/Short-eared Owl)

IM also:ГуйвангаguivangaЯвлагguivanga

Inner M:Явлагguivanga

Mongolia formerly:Уульuul'

Гуйванга guivaŋg

Strix (Wood Owls)

-

Бэгбаатарbegbaatar

Mongolia formerly:Бэгбаатарbegbaatar

Уульuul'

Nyctea (Snowy Owl)

-

Уульuul'

Mongolia formerly:Уульuul'

Уульжuul'j

Bubo (Eagle Owl)

IM also:Шар шувуу shar shuvuu

Inner M:Шар шувуу shar shuvuu

Mongolia formerly:Шар шувуу shar shuvuu

Шаршувуу shar-shuvuu

In general, Inner Mongolian usage has drawn closer to previous Mongolian usage, while the "binomial" names of 2007, applying the criterion of one name per genus, made considerable changes to the assignment of names. One result of the reassignment of names is that Wood Owls and the Hawk Owls have swapped names.

Харсуунkharsuuŋ or харсунkharsuŋ is found in the names of birds at the Accipitridae, Strigidae, and Sylviidae. The dictionary meaning is 'coarse', 'crude' (e.g. as used of foodstuffs), but in bird naming it appears to have the meaning 'hawk'.